Okay, I’m just going to come out and say it: the new SAT scoring system is extremely confusing. There are subscores, cross-test scores, an optional essay score and much more. Because I don’t want you to be uncertain about something as important as your SAT scores, I’m here to dispel any confusion and answer your questions.

I’ll talk about all of the different scores: what they mean, SAT score ranges, what SAT scores you need for top colleges, and how everything ties together.

Now let’s get into anything and everything relating to SAT scores and the SAT score range.

Understanding Your SAT Scores

If you’re with me so far, it’s time to talk about average SAT scores: the average score on each section is 500 points. The average overall SAT score is 1000. These are theoretical averages but the real averages tend to be within about 20 points, or minus, of 500 points.

Now, this is where things are going to get a little more complicated. On the new SAT there are at least three different types of scores. So hold onto your seats.

1. Test Scores

Okay, so the new SAT lumps the separate reading and writing sections into one 800 score. But the still wants to give colleges a better idea of how to understand your SAT scores: how you did on the reading section and how you did on the writing section.

That makes sense, but for good measure, they figured they’d throw math in as a test score. So the three “test scores” are as follows:

Each one of these tests will be scored on a range of 10 to 40. This score will correspond to how many questions you missed on each section and is adapted to fit the score range.

The two scores, one from the reading test and one from the writing test, will be combined to give you a verbal score on the 200-800 range. The math score on the 10-40 scale will be converted to a final score from 200-800. Add these together and you’ll have your overall SAT score.

How important are these “test scores”? Honestly, they just give people looking at your score report a way to compare your scores to students who took different versions of the SAT. This relates to an idea called equating, which allows the SAT to compare scores between different tests. But it’s pretty technical and the statistics folks over at College Board take care of this–you just have to look at your score.

What is important for you–and what colleges will likely look at if they want to get a better sense of your performance–is how you did on the reading section and how you did on the writing sections. After all, you could do very poorly on reading yet thrive in writing and can get the same verbal score as somebody who was average on both sections.

2. Cross-Test Scores

So the new SAT doesn’t have a science section like the ACT does, but it does have “cross-test scores.” Essentially, there are questions that are science related, whether they are in the math section, the reading section, or the writing section (hence the name “cross-test”).

There are also cross-test scores related to history/social studies.

Here’s how the College Board terms the cross-test sections:

Analysis in History/Social Studies

Analysis in Science

Each score will be on a scale of 10-40.

3. Subscores

The College Board wants to give college admissions officers as much information as possible. That gives us (I promise) our final set of scores for the required sections of the SAT. There are seven of these scores, the first two relate to reading comprehension, the next two relate to writing and the last three relate to math.

Reading Subscores

Command of Evidence

Words in Context

Writing Subscores

Expression of Ideas

Standard English Conventions

Math Subscores

Heart of Algebra

Problem Solving and Data Analysis

Passport to Advanced Math

Each of these subscores is on a scale of 1 to 15.

4. Optional Essay Scores

Last, and perhaps least (for those not taking the essay), you’ll have three scores based on the 55-minute writing sample you’ll have to cough up after working on the test for three hours.

Here’s what you need to know:

Two graders will be scoring your essay.

Each grader will give your essay a score (1-4) for each of three different criteria.

The three criteria are:

reading (how well do you understand the passage)

analysis (how well do you describe how the writer is persuading his/her audience)

writing (how well do you write)

In theory, this gives us a total of 24 possible points. However, the scores from each grader will NOT be added up into a composite score, but will instead be added to the other grader’s scores in each area. Thus, you’ll be presented with three scores, on the following scales:

What’s the Deal With All These Different SAT Scores?

Why oh why is the SAT even coming up with such a complex scoring system in the first place? The SAT wants to give schools a lot better breakdown of your skill set. On the old, pre-2016 SAT, there were just three section scores. Now, colleges that want to know the difference between two very similar candidates in terms of SAT scores can learn a lot more with the subscores and cross-test scores.

At the same time, colleges don’t want to be inundated with all this information for each of the thousands of candidates they look at. That way they can start with the general score and if they want to dig deeper, they can look at these other scores.

Old SAT Scores vs. New SAT Scores

How do we compare new SAT scores to old SAT scores? The two tests are very different; a student who scored in the 95% on the old math section might not even crack 80% on the new one, or vice versa.

But we have to be able to compare scores. Otherwise, we can’t know how students who took only the old test did in comparison to those who took the new test.

Though the tests are pretty different, another way to compare the two is by using SAT score percentiles. If a score of 800 used to correspond to the top 1%, then the same should apply to the new test. (Of course, I’m just using a vague answer here. It’s actually a lot more complicated than this—some of the statistics involved is Ph.D level stuff!)

SAT Percentiles

If you’re confused about SAT percentiles on top of everything else, I definitely don’t blame you! The College Board’s are in a confusing format. So let’s break down what their terms mean, and then take a look at the percentile tables.

Terms to Know

First of all, if you look at the College Board’s document, you’ll see that they give you two percentiles: the “Nationally Representative Sample” and the “SAT User.” You want to focus on the SAT User percentiles, which are what we’ve provided below.

Why?

The Nationally Representative Sample scores are actually based on research the College Board did about how 11th and 12th graders would score on the new SAT…including those students who aren’t actually taking it. (Confusing, right?) But because students who are actually taking the SAT are more likely to be applying to college, they are also those who would generally score higher on the test anyway. In short, this sample lowballs the percentile.

SAT User percentiles aren’t perfect—after all, the College Board only has data from March 2016 to present to base their percentiles on—but they are based on the actual scores of actual users (those graduating in 2017). And they’re going to be the percentiles colleges are more interested in.

Whew! With no further ado…your new SAT percentile tables.

SAT Percentiles (Composite)

Total (Composite) Score

Percentile

1600

99+

1590

99+

1580

99+

1570

99+

1560

99+

1550

99+

1540

99+

1530

99+

1520

99

1510

99

1500

99

1490

99

1480

99

1470

98

1460

98

1450

98

1440

97

1430

97

1420

96

1410

96

1400

95

1390

95

1380

94

1370

94

1360

93

1350

92

1340

91

1330

90

1320

90

1310

89

1300

88

1290

87

1280

86

1270

85

1260

83

1250

82

1240

81

1230

80

1220

78

1210

77

1200

76

1190

74

1180

73

1170

71

1160

69

1150

68

1140

66

1130

64

1120

63

1110

61

1100

59

1090

57

1080

55

1070

53

1060

51

1050

49

1040

47

1030

45

1020

43

1010

41

1000

40

990

38

980

36

970

34

960

32

950

31

940

29

930

27

920

26

910

24

900

22

890

21

880

19

870

18

860

17

850

15

840

14

830

13

820

12

810

11

800

9

790

8

780

8

770

7

760

6

750

5

740

4

730

4

720

3

710

3

700

2

690

2

680

1

670

1

660

1

650

1

640

1

630

1-

620

1-

610

1-

600

1-

590

1-

580

1-

570

1-

560

1-

550

1-

540

1-

530

1-

520

1-

510

1-

500

1-

490

1-

480

1-

470

1-

460

1-

450

1-

440

1-

430

1-

420

1-

410

1-

400

1-

SAT Percentiles (Math)

Total Score (Section)

Percentile (Math)

800

99+

790

99

780

99

770

99

760

98

750

97

740

97

730

96

720

95

710

94

700

94

690

92

680

91

670

89

660

88

650

86

640

84

630

82

620

81

610

78

600

76

590

73

580

70

570

67

560

65

550

61

540

58

530

54

520

49

510

45

500

40

490

37

480

34

470

32

460

29

450

25

440

22

430

20

420

17

410

14

400

12

390

10

380

8

370

7

360

5

350

4

340

3

330

2

320

1

310

1

300

1

290

1-

280

1-

270

1-

260

1-

250

1-

240

1-

230

1-

220

1-

210

1-

200

1-

SAT Percentiles (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing)

Total Score (Section)

Percentile (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing)

800

99+

790

99+

780

99+

770

99+

760

99

750

99

740

98

730

98

720

97

710

96

700

95

690

94

680

92

670

91

660

89

650

87

640

85

630

82

620

79

610

77

600

73

590

70

580

67

570

64

560

60

550

57

540

53

530

49

520

46

510

42

500

39

490

35

480

32

470

28

460

25

450

22

440

19

430

16

420

14

410

12

400

10

390

8

380

6

370

5

360

4

350

3

340

2

330

1

320

1

310

1

300

1

290

1-

280

1-

270

1-

260

1-

250

1-

240

1-

230

1-

220

1-

210

1-

200

1-

Good SAT Score Ranges by Grade Level

A question I get a lot is from parents wondering whether their child should take the SAT as a junior, or wait until senior year.

Their thinking is that if the student does well enough on the SAT for a junior, then they don’t have to worry about taking the SAT as a senior. The thing is, colleges don’t give preferential treatment to those who take the SAT at a younger age. You can take the SAT in 6th grade, get a 1200, and then never take the SAT again. That 1200 actually isn’t any different from a senior’s 1200.

Yet it might not be quite so simple. Given that, at least on average, students become more intellectually mature in an extra year of schooling—vocabularies enlarge, a sense of proper grammar becomes more fine-tuned, the ability to concentrate increases slightly—a senior might expect to see a 50-point increase in an SAT score. That might not seem like much, but going from a 1450 to a 1500 does look like a big deal on paper.

What Is a Good SAT Score in Senior Year?

A good SAT score for a senior really depends on the schools you are applying to, your current GPA, and a host of other factors, such as your essay or extracurricular activities. 1200 is a pretty good score; 1300 is clearly a good score and 1400+ is a great score.

What Is a Good SAT Score in Junior Year?

Provided that you continue to pay attention in school and you continue to do some SAT prep in your spare time, you will probably do a little bit better as a senior, but not by too much.

A good SAT score for a junior, therefore, is about 50 points less than what a good SAT score is for a senior.

If you are a junior and you have enough time to study, then getting close to 1400 is a good score.

What Is a Good SAT Score for Sophomores and Freshmen?

We highly recommend that you take the PSAT rather than the SAT if you are a sophomore or a freshman. You don’t have to include the score on your college apps, and it puts you in the running for National Merit Scholarships!

With that said, if you take a (good) SAT practice test before your junior year…1300+ is a great score for a sophomore, while 1200+ is a fantastic score for a freshman. But that’s only if you’re willing to continue to put in work on the SAT as you progress through your coursework! Otherwise, you’re more than likely to see your score stagnate pretty seriously.

SAT Score Ranges for College Admissions

Now that you know the general SAT score range to aim for, what is a good SAT score for your dream school, or to earn some scholarship dollars? Let’s take a closer look.

What SAT Score Range Do I Need for the Top 100 US Universities?

Just to make things a little easier on you, we’ve put together this table of SAT score ranges for the top 100 universities in the United States. The numbers are from the middle 50% score range (meaning 25% of admitted students had lower scores and 25% had higher scores).

Expand the table by choosing a number of entries from the drop-down menu, or type the name of your chosen school in the search box to find its the middle 50% score range!

Top 100 Universities and Colleges

Pre-March 2016 SAT (25th to 75th Percentile Scores)

New SAT (25th to 75th Percentile Scores)

2100-2380

1400-1590

2100-2350

1470-1580

2140-2390

1420-1590

2090-2350

1450-1590

2080-2360

1390-1580

Not Reported

1460-1550

2120-2360

1470-1590

2100-2380

1400-1590

2100-2380

1400-1590

2240-2340

1530-1570

2130-2300

1480-1560

2050-2350

1420-1580

1990-2300

1400-1560

2060-2350

1440-1590

Not Reported

1310-1470

2110-2360

1420-1590

Not Reported

1460-1570

2040-2380

1440-1590

Not Reported

1390-1530

1950-2330

1300-1550

2030-2270

1330-1520

Not Reported

1380-1540

2050-2310

1460-1570

1720-2160

1230-1500

1950-2210

1380-1520

2050-2280

1440-1550

Test Optional: 1860-2150

Test Optional: 1320-1500

1960-2240

1390-1540

1900-2190

1340-1510

1770-2100

1260-1470

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1250-1480

1310-1510

1840-2150

1320-1510

1910-2200

1370-1520

1870-2190

1320-1510

1960-2230

1400-1530

1810-2070

1220-1460

1580-1960

1150-1410

1820-2220

1300-1520

1830-2120

1300-1490

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1280-1480

1340-1510

1890-2140

1330-1480

1570-1980

1140-1420

1880-2170

1380-1530

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1210-1420

1280-1470

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1230-1420

1300-1470

1960-2240

1400-1540

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1090-1300

1160-1360

1760-2050

1260-1440

1800-2070

1280-1460

1720-2070

1250-1470

1660-1980

1190-1410

1690-2090

1210-1480

1660-2030

1200-1440

1620-2020

1160-1420

1780-2090

1270-1460

1700-1930

1220-1370

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1210-1420

1280-1470

1770-2060

1280-1460

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1150-1340

1220-1400

1600-1960

1160-1400

1810-2100

1290-1470

1630-1930

1170-1370

1700-2000

1210-1410

1720-2040

1230-1430

1750-2050

1250-1440

1760-2050

1260-1440

1760-2140

1270-1500

1560-1930

1130-1380

1630-1950

1170-1390

1720-2010

1220-1390

1650-1940

1190-1380

1650-2010

1190-1430

1670-1980

1190-1390

1810-2070

1310-1470

1570-1910

1140-1370

1450-1840

1080-1340

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1260-1460

1320-1480

1630-1940

1170-1360

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1130-1330

1200-1390

1670-2000

1210-1420

1590-1930

1150-1360

1580-1930

1150-1370

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1020-1320

1100-1380

1560-1890

1130-1340

1630-1880

1170-1340

1620-2060

1160-1450

1810-2070

1300-1460

1710-1980

1230-1410

1690-2030

1220-1440

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1070-1260

1140-1320

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1070-1310

1140-1370

1820-2220

1220-1490

1650-1950

1180-1370

1680-1910

1200-1340

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1120-1330

1190-1390

1450-1820

1060-1290

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1080-1300

1150-1360

1540-1880

1110-1330

Writing Scores Not Reported: 1070-1270

1140-1330

1570-1870

1140-1330

What SAT Score Range Do I Need for the Ivy League?

We’ve also put together a table showing the middle 50% score range for Ivy League schools. Enjoy!

University

Old SAT Score Range

Projected New SAT Score Range

Brown

2000-2300

1410-1570

Cornell

1970-2270

1390-1550

Columbia

2090-2350

1460-1580

Dartmouth

2050-2340

1440-1580

Harvard

2130-2400

1480-1600

University of Pennsylvania

2050-2330

1440-1570

Princeton

2100-2400

1470-1600

Yale

2120-2390

1480-1600

For more information on a few of these top schools’ scores, you can check out the following posts:

What Is a Good SAT Score for Scholarships?

Well…it depends. Let me break it down for you.

First of all, many colleges around the country have what are called guaranteed scholarships. These scholarships are automatically awarded to accepted students who have earned a certain SAT score. The cool thing about them is that you don’t even have to fill out a separate application. When you’re researching colleges, keep your eyes open for what guaranteed scholarships are out there.

A larger number of colleges also have general merit scholarships. These scholarships have the same SAT requirements, but you are in competition with other accepted students for a limited number of awards. These scholarships may require a separate application, along with a personal or themed essay. In short, read those directions closely!

So…what’s the score I should aim for?

I’m getting to that. Because every scholarship’s requirements are different, you have some work to do: get out there and find some scholarships!

Many colleges and universities have specific scholarships available for their current and incoming students, so if you have a list of schools you’re interested in, a simple Google search for your top college choices along with the search term “merit scholarships” is all you need.

Scholarships based on academic merit often have minimum SAT scores provided in their descriptions. Take note of any SAT score requirements you find during your research, then average all those scores. The result is your minimumSAT score goal.

Here’s a ballpark estimate, to give you an idea of what you’re dealing with: At private institutions, such as , one scholarship awards approximately $41,000 per year with a minimum SAT score of 1390. At , you could receive four years of full tuition, room, and board with a minimum SAT score of 1360. (There are other requirements for these scholarships beyond your minimum SAT score, so again: don’t forget to read those directions.) The amount of scholarship money available varies widely between schools, but if you’re looking at private colleges and universities, you’re likely to see these kinds of numbers.

There are also scholarships out there that aren’t affiliated any specific academic institute (the for example), so once you’ve exhausted your college list, try casting a wider net. Here are just some of the scholarships I discovered after a few minutes of online research:

Having a specific score in mind will help you , but don’t forget that this score is a minimum – ideally you want to be scoring a bit higher than this number on your practice tests (and the real thing, of course!).

Once you’ve got a strong SAT score under your belt, you can shift your focus to the scholarship applications themselves, and any essays and/or personal statements that may be lurking within.

SAT Score Ranges and Other Tests

SAT vs ACT Scores

SAT and ACT score ranges are about as dry a topic as they come. But there’s actually some serious drama behind this. Right now, the ACT is pretty much fuming that the College Board decided to release an SAT to ACT score “translation” without consulting them. (“Hey College Board–why you no invite me to party?”)

So the information I’m about to share is somewhat provisional; it might change if the ACT decides to release its own concordance tables (spoiler alert: the College Board won’t be invited). That said, for now, this is what colleges will most likely go on: ACT to New SAT to Old SAT Score Conversion Chart.

As you can see from the tables on this score conversion chart, a perfect score on the ACT is a perfect score on the SAT. Though an ACT score of 35 works out to a 1540 on the SAT, remember that the ACT doesn’t have nearly as large of a score range as the SAT (36 increments from 1-36 vs. 120 increments for the SAT from 400-1600).

PSAT Score Range

Remember I told you how I was here to dispel confusion? Well, that’s very likely what we have around the PSAT, since there is no longer just one PSAT but three, depending on your grade level.

The main PSAT, the one for sophomores and juniors, has two primary functions: to see if you qualify for the National Merit Program and to give you a sense of what your likely SAT score will be. Unless, you aim to score in the top 2%, you shouldn’t worry about the scholarship. You should, though, take your PSAT score seriously because it will let you know how much you’ll need to prep for the SAT to hit your target score.

The big news is that a perfect PSAT score corresponds to a 1520 on the SAT. That’s right, because the PSAT is an easier test, it won’t—at the very high end—give you a sense of how well you’ll score on the SAT. But otherwise, your PSAT score—which ranges from 320-1520—will correspond to what you’d likely get on the SAT where you to take it right after the SAT (not as in the very same day, but you know what I mean).

However, you can improve your performance on the actual SAT by prepping and practice; or, if you slack off, your SAT score might be lower than what your PSAT score would suggest.

How to Improve Your SAT Test Scores

As I implied from the PSAT vs SAT bit above, your score has its own range–it’s not set in stone. How to study for the SAT is a huge factor, as is how well you perform on test day.

Establish a Baseline

This is the most important thing to do–and this goes for almost any point-based or time-based goal you want to set for yourself What that means is you should take an official practice test before doing anything else (these are available for free at or in the Official Study Guide for a little bit more). This will give you what is called your baseline score, or the score you get when you haven’t started preparing yet.

The goal is to increase that SAT score as you take subsequent practice tests. You can measure that with Clemmonsdogpark’s free, full-length SAT practice test, with text and video answers and explanations for each question! But in the meantime, what do you do? Brushing up on the fundamentals is the first order of business.

Improve How Well You Test

Believe it or not, this is a skill, too. Those who are good test-takers are often those who’ve developed this skill, and therefore get a good SAT score. What this means is you should learn how to:

Remain calm when a question flusters you (often guess and move on is the best strategy)

Avoid careless mistakes in the future. (Clemmonsdogpark’s SAT study guide can help you do this!)

Improving on these three things will help boost your score. So next time you come to this post, when you look at the table above on SAT score ranges for top schools, you’ll be focusing on the higher end of the range and getting the best SAT score you can get.

Diagnostic Quiz: How Will You Score on the SAT?

Quiz Starts Here:

This quiz has one page for each SAT section (3 total): Writing and Language (“English”), Math, and Reading.

This quiz will take about 10-20 minutes to complete, so grab some scratch paper and a calculator, and do your best!

English

Math

Reading

English

Instructions

After reading the passage below, choose the answer to each question that most effectively improves the quality of writing in the passage or that makes the passage conform to the conventions of standard written English. Many questions include a “NO CHANGE” option. Choose that option if you think the best choice is to leave the relevant portion of the passage as it is.

The common setup is researchers will divide subjects into two groups, one of which is allowed to use the Internet after finishing the task, the other of which must finish the task until completion. Yet another common setup allows subjects unfettered use of the Internet when trying to complete the task. Not surprisingly this last group acted 1worse on tests of productivity. 2Not so surprisingly the group that used 10 minutes of web access as an incentive, tended not only to finish the task sooner than the group without any web access but also 3worked with more vigor when their Internet time was up.

1.

A) NO CHANGE

B) the worst

C) badly

D) more poorly

2.

Within the context of the paragraph, the underlined portion should be changed to which of the following?

A) NO CHANGE

B) Unsurprisingly

C) Less surprisingly

D) What is surprising is that

3.

A) NO CHANGE

B) to work

C) they worked

D) to be working

Math

Instructions

Solve the problem and then choose the correct answer. You may use a calculator on this portion of the SAT Mathematics Test.

1.

The length of Rectangle WXYZ is increased 20% and the width is decreased 20%. The area of the resulting figure is what percent that of Rectangle WXYZ?

A) 4%

B) 96%

C) 100%

D) 120%

2.

Mike saved 20% on a shirt before taxes. If he paid $60 for the shirt, what was the original price of the shirt?

A) $48

B) $64.60

C) $75

D) $80

3.

Solution X is 10 percent alcohol by volume, and solution Y is 30 percent alcohol by volume. How many milliliters of solution Y must be added to 200 milliliters of solution X to create a solution that is 25 percent alcohol by volume?

A) 250/3

B) 500/3

C) 480

D) 600

Reading

Instructions

The passage below is followed by a number of questions. After reading the passage, choose the best answer to each question based on what is stated or implied int he passage or passages and in any accompanying graphics (such as a table or graph).

Metamorphosis

I recently dug up a photograph of myself from freshman year of college that made me smile. I have on the wrong shoes, the wrong socks, the wrong checkered shirt tucked the wrong way into the wrong slacks. I look like what I was: a boy sprung from a middlebrow burg who affected a secondhand preppiness. I look nervous. Compare that image to one from my senior-class dinner: now I am attired in a gray tweed jacket with a green plaid bow tie and a sensible button-down shirt, all purchased at the Yale Co-op. I look confident, and more than a bit contrived.

What happened in between those two photographs is that I experienced, then overcame, what the poet Meena Alexander has called “the shock of arrival.” When I was deposited at the wrought-iron gates of my residential college as a freshman, I felt more like an outsider than I’d thought possible. It wasn’t just that I was a small Chinese boy standing at a grand WASP temple; nor simply that I was a hayseed neophyte puzzled by the refinements of college style. It was both: color and class were all twisted together in a double helix of felt inadequacy.

For a while I coped with the shock by retreating to a group of my own kind—not follow Asians, but fellow marginal public school grads who resented the rah-rah Yalies to whom everything came effortlessly. Aligning myself this way was bearable—I was hiding, but at least I could place myself in a long tradition of underdog exiles at Yale. Aligning myself by race, on the other hand, would have seemed too inhibiting.

I know this doesn’t make much sense. I know also that college, in the multicultural era, is supposed to be where the deracinated minority youth discovers the “person of color” inside. To a point, I did. I studied Chinese, took an Asian American history course, a seminar on race politics. But ultimately, college was where the unconscious habits of my adolescent assimilation hardened into self-conscious strategy.

1.

In the first paragraph, the change the author observes in his former self can best be described as one from

A) uncertainty to despair

B) confidence to conformity

C) awkwardness to poise

D) immaturity to jadedness

2.

The author primarily attributes his “’shock of arrival’” to

A) unfamiliarity with his surroundings

B) awareness of his differences

C) difficulty making lasting friendships

D) unease as to his future direction

3.

The “self-conscious strategy” primarily describes the author’s attempt to

A) reject an element of his past

B) posses a greater awareness of a former tendency

C) embrace his ethnic identity by taking certain courses

D) retreat from social activities through academics

Loading…

How did you do on the Diagnostic Quiz above? What else do you want to know about SAT score ranges? Let us know in the comments!

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in June 2016 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

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About Chris Lele

Chris Lele is the GRE and SAT Curriculum Manager (and vocabulary wizard) at Clemmonsdogpark Online Test Prep. In his time at Clemmonsdogpark, he has inspired countless students across the globe, turning what is otherwise a daunting experience into an opportunity for learning, growth, and fun. Some of his students have even gone on to get near perfect scores. Chris is also very popular on the internet. His GRE channel on YouTube has over 10 million views.
You can read Chris's awesome blog posts on the Clemmonsdogpark GRE blog and High School blog!
You can follow him on and !

141 Responses to “SAT Score Range: What’s a Good SAT Score for Colleges?”

Hi.. I have scored 1420 on the new SAT(630 in English, 790 in maths), 790 on my maths level 2 subject test and I’m planning to also give physics this October… Can you give me suggestions for my college applications (I’m a CS student).. Thanks.

I can tell you that those are very respectable scores. There are are a lot f good schools that would accept you. Top schools (Ivies and other prestigious institutions like Stanford or Notre Dame) are the most likely to require or prefer SAT subject tests. So if you want to make the best possible use of your subject test scores, apply to those higher-ranking schools.

Your SAT and PSAT scores are excellent. They’re in the top percentiles for most top schools, and make you a competitive candidate for many scholarships. Your 740 in bio puts you either in the 85th or 77th percentile for all test-takers, depending on whether you took ecological biology or molecular biology. This is also a decent showing. Your Subject Test for SAT math on the other hand is down at the 40th percentile. (My source for all this is , as shown on the official College Board website.)

You probably don’t need to worry that much about your SAT Subject tests though, unless you’re applying to a school that specifically requires them.

I got an 1150 on the new SAT, 630 on the reading and writing and a 520 on the math. I also did the optional essay and got a 4. Some sites say this is average, some say it’s really bad. I don’t know if I could get higher if I retook it. Is this a bad score?

Happy to help! 🙂 I had a look at the most recent SAT percentiles and your 1150 would be somewhere from the 64th to 74th percentile depending on the comparison sample. This means, by definition, that you achieved above average! Congratulations. 🙂

This is not really bad, but your scores are also not elite scores. Take a little while and consider what your goals are and what will get you there. If you aren’t aiming for the most elite schools, then having this above average score and some strong essays alongside your transcripts will definitely get you where you want to go! The path forward from here depends on your plans. 🙂 If you don’t think you can improve this score, then your time and effort would be better spent on other parts of your application. At the end of the day, this is nothing more than a test score. Good luck, Grace!

Hi Clemmonsdogpark, I am planning to apply for Stanford, Harvard and MIT. I got 1470 for the new SAT (730 for reading, 740 for math), 21/24 for essay, 800 for Chemistry and 800 for H2 Math Subject Tests. Do you think I should take the general teat in October for this year’s application? Seeing your projections, the score seems to be a risky bet. Thank you!

Happy to help! 🙂 In all honesty, if you think you can improve on your score, it is always better to push for that higher score to get yourself a better shot at the schools you want to go to, especially when you are aiming at Ivy League scores. If you have the time, money, and ability to make a retake worthwhile, I suggest you do it. If it isn’t feasible, then focus on the remaining parts of your application like your essays! Good luck. 🙂

Hi, I got an 1150 in the new SAT, 580 math, 570 reading and all 6’s on the essay for a total of 18. Is that a decent score? Most schools I’m applying to Have a middle 50% of 1700 old SAT, so I’m not sure that score is in the range.

An 1150 on the new SAT is equivalent to about 1590 on the old SAT. So you may need to retake the SAT and boost your score a little bit to reach that midpoint at your target schools. Also, for future reference, I’m happy to tell you that Clemmonsdogpark has a conversion table for this. Check out our ACT to New SAT to Old SAT score conversion chart.

If we are looking at only your SAT scores (outside the rest of your application), your current scores may still be a stretch for your two schools. Vanderbilt University has SAT score (25th-75th) Percentile Range of 1470 – 1580. The University of Michigan has a range of 1350 – 1510. For both schools, your current score is within the bottom 25th percentile of accepted students. In this case, if you have time and flexibility, I would recommend that you prepare for and try to take the exam again to increase your chances.

That’s a good but complicated question. On the new SAT, there is a whole-test score, and a number of different kinds of individual scores that assess your abilities by both section and question types that appear across multiple sections. The new scoring system is a bit complex, so we’ve made an article to break it all down for you. See our SAT score range article for more information.

Hey
I just started prepping for SAT and got 1320 on it. 670 in math and 650 in Reading + Writing. What colleges should I expect? Also, I’ll be applying as an international student. Please help me out. Thanks 😀

First off, I have some good news– universities hold international students and domestic students to the same standards for SAT. This is good news because it means you don’t have to try to figure out a separate set of requirements for yourself, other than the main requirements you see in this post on on university admissions websites.

Based on a quick glance at Chris’s multipart chart in this post, your SAT score is competitive at a number of good schools– UNC Chapel Hill, UCLA, and NYU, to name a few. Carefully check through the chart to see other schools you may be eligible for. I also recommend using a tool from the official SAT website: . In that search engine, you can enter your SAT score and other search criteria to find schools and degree programs that are right for you.

Improvement depends on a lot of factors, including how much time you have per day and your personal academic aptitude. It is hard to make an estimate with so little information, but it is quite typical to see an overall increase of 70-100 points in about 6 weeks of serious study, and certainly not impossible to see 150+ if the student has the time and right resources to target weaknesses! 🙂

Depending on how much time you have “in the coming months” I would say you could see dramatic improvement in that 150+ possibility if you are systematic with your studying and monitor your weak areas to continue improving. 🙂

Is an 1190 a decent score? I’m really considering retesting but was just curious on where that ranks and how it makes me look as a potential student to a university. Would a gpa of 3.7 out of 4.0 (AP classes) make up for an 1190?

An 1190 is at the lower end of the middle 50% range (25th to 75th percentile) for some top schools such as Purdue and Penn State. Unfortunately, that score is even less competitive for other top schools. That being said, a 3.7 GPA with a roster of APA classes can DEFINITELY compensate for an 1190 int he eyes of a lot of admissions offices. To know just how good your chances are at specific schools, you’ll need to those schools’ admissions departments of course. But I’d say that overall, it looks like you have a good chance at getting into a good school.

Hello I have a 1420 SAT, and a 710 on both the Biology E and Chemistry Subject SATs, a 3.9 UWGPA and a 4.86 out of 6 WGPA. I will also be a certified clinical medical assistant by May 25 of 2017 (when I graduate). Where would that place me as a pre-med major whose planning on applying to Emory,Rice, or Johns Hopkins.

These are questions that would be best answered by an experienced admissions professional. We are much better at test prep than admissions counseling; we are a test prep company, after all! So while I wish we could help, I don’t want to lead you astray. Good luck! 🙂

Hey guys I am applying to a few ivy league universities and I keep getting a score of 1490 on my prep exams (690 English 800 maths) and I have already taken two subject tests manely maths l2 800 and physics 800. So do I have a chance of getting in to at least one ivy college

First of all, it’s hard to say as these ivy league universities look at more than just the SAT scores. They look at your GPA, extracurriculars, essays, and recommendations as well. Your SAT score is within the range, but you’ll need your other pieces to help you to stand out. Given your score, you definitely have a better chance at schools like Brown and Cornell. However, it would have been better if you had a more balanced score. So, it will be helpful if your academic record shows that you also excel in English as well to make a better case.

Hey guys, I am a senior from Ethiopia. I have a 1260 total SAT score (570 on the Evidence based reading and writing & 690 on the math section.) My school grades are outstanding even though I didn’t do well on the SAT. Plus I have good extracurricular activity records.
Can you suggest me any college which might accept me and give me financial aid (full)?

That’s a really tricky question. Scholarship policies and funds vary so much from school-to-school, and they depend on many different factors, including your national origin, race, gender, age, intended major, high school GPA, the particular kinds of extracurriculars you took, and more.

So I can’t recommend a specific school to you. I can tell you that with your profile, you’ve certainly got a chance at finding a full scholarship somewhere. I recommend inputting your personal and academic information into . That will bring up a list of scholarships you may be eligible for, and a list of schools associated with the scholarships.

I also suggest directly ing the international admissions offices at any schools you apply to. Ask these offices if a full scholarship might be possible, and what kinds of scholarships you can apply for. International admissions reps are always very happy to help overseas applicants get funding.

Now, most scholarships are school-specific. that is to say that they will only find studies at one specific university. However, there are also national scholarships to consider. One of the largest American providers of national scholarships for international students is the U.S. Fulbright program. (This is funded by the United States Federal Government.) Every overseas country has its own Fulbright office. I recommend ing to see if you may be able to get full funding for an American university degree via Fulbright.

It’s really hard to say whether you’ll get into a certain school knowing only your SAT scores. Remember, these scores are only a piece of your overall application. It’s really case-by-case. However, to ensure that you’re a strong candidate, you want your SAT score to be at the median or in the upper quartile of scores for accepted students at your target programs.

If you are not reaching the 25 percentile for the college, you want to either retake the exam or make sure the other pieces of your application are strong (similar for midpoint–but you’re in a better situation here). I think if you really want to go to a specific school/program, you can have a reach school and really take your time to show why you’d be a great fit. However, definitely apply to schools of various ranges (i.e., safety, target, and reach schools).

My son’s new SAT score was 1480 broken out as 690 verbal and 790 math. Breaking down
a bit further, it breaks out as 32 reading 37 writing and language and 39.5 for math.
His essay was 7/7/8.

His goal is to attend MIT. His goal was to score 1500 or higher so is now considering
to take the SAT again. Do you think with how his scores break they are good enough to apply
to MIT? Or would MIT need to see a higher “Reading” score with his other scores staying the
same or improving a bit?

I just checked MIT’s current Fall 2016 stats for the SAT score range of the middle 50% of their applicants. You can see those same stats on . (Scroll down to the heading labeled “Middle 50% score range of admitted students (25th and 75th percentiles).”)

Based on those stats, it looks like your son is comfortably above the 760 bottom score in math for the middle 50% of applicants, which is great! Unfortunately, his Verbal scores are indeed outside of the competitive “middle 50.” In MIT’s current middle 50% range, the minimum score for SAT reading is 710, and the minimum for SAT Writing is 700.

Your son really might benefit from retaking the SAT so that all of his scores are in that MIT middle 50. Still, he may also have a chance of acceptance with his current scores, provided the other components of his application packet are very strong. As MIT states on their main admissions website,

I actually had a typo in the numbers I provided. He actually had a
1460 broken out as 670 verbal and 790 math. Which means even more
he should consider finding ways to improve on the verbal score and think
hard about taking the SAT again.

Hi,
I am giving sat in december and i really want to be prepared before the exam.
I keep getting 560-600 in english and about 780-790 in maths . I really want to
Push these scores uptill 1540-1560. How can i prepare for english?
Also what are some good books for sat?

Improving your Critical Reading score on the SAT comes down to really understanding the format of the test, getting as much practice as possible, and acing some helpful strategies. It really can be done! And, luckily, we’ve put together a lot of resources to help students prepare for this part of the exam. We have an entire section of our blog dedicated to the Critical Reading section, with tips and practice for all of the different parts of the critical reading section: reading comprehension, sentence completion, and vocabulary/ These blogs are a great place to start! http://magoosh.com/hs/sat-critical-reading/

I also recommend that you check out Clemmonsdogpark! We have video lessons and practice problems, as well as expert support, to help you succeed on the exam! You can to see if Clemmonsdogpark might be a good choice for you 🙂

I have got 1210 in New sat, 7/5/6 (18/24) in essay.
My sat score is low compared to essay score.
Though my high school percentage is 80.
Will I get schoolarship on basis of essay score?
Please suggest me universities that will give me full schoolarship.
Thank you.

I’m afraid I can’t help you much with this question–we specialize in test prep, not admissions advice! I can tell you that most colleges make scholarship decisions based on a wide variety of information in your application, not JUST your SAT score. There are thousands of universities in the US with different requirements and scholarships–my best advice is to start to research schools that you are interested in, and their admissions department to see what scholarships might be available! 🙂

I am an indian student currently studying in Kuwait.
I got a SAT score of 1370. Thats 660 and 710 on verbal and math respectively.
My dream schools are Michigan, UIUC and Georgia tech. Ofcourse I will be applying to Ivies and UCLA and UCB as well.
I have excellent extra curriculars, high praising LORs from my teachers and principal.
I am the Head of my Student govt. I have excellent school grades in high school
Do I have a good chance at attending these schools?

If the other pieces of your application are strong, then you always have a chance! However, I will say that your SAT score is a bit on the lower spectrum of the accepted ranges. The SAT is only one piece of the application; however, if you would like to strengthen your application, I would recommend retaking if you have the flexibility. With a higher score and the rest of your application, you would be a strong candidate.

1300 definitely does have some scholarship potential, possibly even up to 75% funding. That all depends on the exact rules of the scholarships you apply for, though. It’s also important to remember that some scholarship foundations place most of their emphasis on test scores, while other scholarship organizations focus on other factors. To find the best scholarship you can get with your SAT score, I recommend going to and inputting your SAT information and all of your other personal info.

It can’t hurt to also check with the financial aid offices of schools you’re thinking of applying to. College financial aid reps can be very helpful if you ask about scholarships, and they may know of a few funding sources that you won’t find in most Internet scholarship searches.

There is no differentiation made between someone who studies alone and someone who has a tutor. The rankings include all of those people, so the expectation is entirely based on what you need to achieve to get into the schools of your choice. I hope that makes sense! 🙂

Hi Steve. Texas A&M’s 25th percentile SAT scores are currently 1560, and UT Austin’s 25th percentile SAT scores are at 1690 right now. So your SAT score is on the low side for both schools. There’s at least some chance that a really high GPA could help. But your SAT score is far enough out of both school’s middle 50% range that I recommend retaking the exam if you really want the best possible chance at admission to Austin or A&M.

Steve– so sorry about that! I misread what you’d written. Under the new SAT score ranges, a 1230 puts you just below the middle 50% range for UT Austin. Their middle 50 are students with an SAT score of 1240-1480. An especially high GPA could offset that though, since you’re near the top of the bottom 25% of students that Do get accepted. Texas A&M’s middle 50% of accepted students have SAT score ranges of 1200-1360. So right there, you’re comfortably within that middle 50% range and have a good shot. I don’t believe your lower Reading & Writing subscore is low enough to be an issue, especially because both of these universities seem much more focused on whole-test scores when i comes to university admissions.

I got a score of 1210 on the SAT nd also my GPA is low what is the possibility of application getting accepted in Purdue University.
What should I do to get in a good university? I’m really concerned about my applications being rejected.Not forgetting to mention I’m an international student and with Trump being elected as president will it affect international students for studying in US.

Purdue’s middle 50% New SAT score range is 1160 to 1380. So your SAT score is in acceptable range for Purdue, and possibly competitive enough to compensate for a lower GPA.

To have a shot at as many top schools as possible, it’s of course a good idea to have an SAT score of at least 1350, and ideally over 1400. The higher the better, really. If you’re applying to schools that only look at your top SAT score (this is the policy at most but not all top schools), it might not hurt to retake the SAT and see if you can get an even higher score on the next try.

Depending on what country you’re from, a top score on an English proficiency exam like the TOEFL or the IELTS may also give you an edge.

As for the upcoming affects of the new presidential administration, right now, there’s no indication that there will be significant changes to student visa regulations specifically. If changes do occur, they probably won’t be related to GPA or test scores. In general schools don’t have separate SAT score or GPA requirements for international students anyway. You’ll be held to the same standards as domestic students int hose areas even if laws change. The only different testing standard you might face is a possible TOEFL/IELTS requirements. And those requirements don’t change when immigration laws change either.

Congrats on the good score! Your score is definitely within the range of some of the universities in the top 25-30. I would say that it would be best to have your score closer to or more than the median score. The primary reason is that these top programs are very competitive, so you want each piece of your application to be comparatively strong. That being said, the score is only one part of your application. So it’s hard to say whether a certain score is enough to get accepted by a school. If your other pieces (i.e., GPA, recs, essays, extracurriculars, etc.) are also strong, then I think you may have a decent chance with your score. If you want to strengthen your chances at these schools, I would consider retaking the exam and targeting the median of your top target program. Good luck!

It’s hard to say exactly which schools you should apply for given the number of variables in play. You want to look at the location, culture, programs, student body, and other offerings of the school to ensure that you’re a good fit for the university. At the same time, you would also want to compare your SAT score with the accepted SAT scores of the university. Please also note that your SAT score is just one part of your application, and the school will look at your full application when reviewing your candidacy. I would recommend taking a look at a list of programs, such as a ranking like . Then, you can review programs that you want to further explore. You will be able to see SAT scores on their website.

Hi, my son, an international student just got his results for the sat, 1540, total, math score of 780 and
760 for English. What schools do you think he should aim for, he would like to go to a top school?

Washington and Lee University’s official SAT statistics . From my reading of those requirements though, it looks like your SAT score may be a little on the low side, especially in English. Still, you do seem to have a fairly competitive GPA. This may increase your chances of acceptance. But to be sure, I’d recommend ing WLU admissions directly, If you explain your situation/profile to them, they can advise you of your chances of acceptance with your GPA your current SAT score.

hey ! I’m an international student, I got 790 on chemistry and 730 on math SAT subject tests, and 1350 on the new SAT (580 reading and writing , 770 math ) and I won a bronze medal in the international chemistry olympiad (ICHO).
which universities should I try for and what is my chance for each one?

Based on your new SAT score alone, your score is in the middle 50% range for the following top 30% (first 3 pages of the table in this post) schools: Berkeley, Georgetown, Boston College, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, UNC-Chapel Hill, and UCLA.

Your SAT Subject test scores and your ICHO awards are definitely impressive, so you may have a shot at other top schools,e vne if their new SAT middle-50% score range starts at higher than 1350.

Exactly how good a chance you have depends on many factors– other aspects of your application packet, how many other students are applying at the same time as you, your intended field of study, and so on. So to get an idea at just how good of a chance you’d have at any given school, I recommend ing the school and asking. Admissions reps are very used to answering those kinds of questions. And I’m sure a lot of top schools would be happy to give advice to a strong applicant like you.

A 1530 on the New SAT is competitive by the standards of Brown, UPenn, Northwestern, and Georgetown. Your SAT Subject Tests seem pretty good, but every school has its own policies for how SAT Subject scores are weighed in admissions decisions. The value of your SAT Subject scores can also sometimes vary depending on your intended degree major (if you have one at this point).

As for what else you should put in your portfolio, this too varies a lot from school-to-school. So you’ll want to talk to admissions reps at those schools for the best possible advice. I can tell you that as a general rule, good letters of recommendation, evidence of volunteer work, past paid work experience, and extracurricular participation in high school are all valuable assets in an application packet.

Hi there.
I gave two attempts at the SAT.
1st attempt:
1420
Math 790
English 630
Essay – 6/6/6

2nd attempt:
1460
Math 800
English 660
Essay 6/5/5

Since I’m applying as an International Student (and thus need some scholarship too), which top Universities do yo think I could go for?
PS: I’ll also be giving my SAT Subject Tests of Math Level 2 and Physics (should I also go for Chemistry?) next month too.
What advice would you have for me in regards to the colleges that I should apply to and any suggestions for some “safety schools” where I have a definite chance to get in?
Thank you.

With those scores, you have the potential to be accepted into quite a few different good schools. Most universities– even the top ones– will only consider your highest score if you take the SAT more than once. So we’ll focus on the 1460 you got on your second attempt. With that score, you are in the easily acceptable middle 50% range for 4 of the very top schools on the first page of the table in this post. Among these highly competitive schools, your New SAT 1460 makes you a contender for Columbia, Stanford, Duke, and UPenn.

If you click “next” and go to the second page, third page, etc… of our chart, you’ll see that a 1460 will also potentially qualify you for just about any school that appears after the first page of the table. The closer your 1460 is to the “middle 50” acceptable range of a school, the more you’ll want to have such a school be your “safety school.”

Regarding your international status, this shouldn’t affect SAT score requirements at most top schools. Still, occasionally, some schools will hold international students to different (lower) scoring standards if they come forma non English-speaking country. Never assume a school will do that though– like I said, it’s a rare practice.

As long as you have the time to prepare for SAT Subject Tests and do well on them, scores on additional subject tests certainly can’t hurt you, and will usually make your application packet even more competitive. If you think you can take on Math Level 2, Physics, and Chemistry, I say go for all three. (But remember, none of them are absolutely required… usually.)

1110 is a little bit low for the absolute top schools. However,t here are a lot schools that are still pretty good– just not Ivy-caliber– that would probably take you with an 1110.

As for scholarships, those are based on many other factors, and not just SAT score. (This is especially true for international students!) So it’s a little hard to predict the exact impact your SAT 1110 would have on your scholarship opportunities. Certainly with that score, there are still scholarships that you’re eligible for.

Still, if you can add at least 50 to your 1110, a number of truly “top” schools will be within your reach. So a retake may be worth your while.

Hi! Thanks for the great site!
My son wants to go to UCLA, Berkley, Stanford, or Harvey Mudd. His scores are:
SAT w/writing: 1490 (math 780/english 710)
Math 2: 770
Physics: 790
Chemistry: 780
We don’t have a lot of safety schools on our list right now. What do you think his chances are?

Those definitely are good SAT numbers! For general SAT scores, your son appears to be well within the comfortable “middle 50%” range for UCLA and Berkeley. For Stanford, your son is in the middle 50% too, but in the lower part of that range. Your son’s scores appear to be above average/competitive for Harvey Mudd.

As for SAT Subject scores, your son’s performance on those exams is competitive too…provided SAT subject scores are actually a factor in admissions decisions. That varies a lot, depending on your son’s intended major and the policies of the individual schools he’s applying to.

Ultimately, I recommend ing your son’s schools directly for the most reliable guidance on his odds of getting in. But based just on what you’ve told me, it sounds like he has a good shot at any of the schools you mentioned.

I have a score of 1540 in Sat 1 ( 800 math and 740 english) as well as sat subject test scores of 800 in both math lvl2 and phy. What are my chances of getting into Upenn and brown ?
Specifically, I have a preference for either cs or mech engineering

Unfortunately, though, we don’t have nearly as much expertise and experience in college admissions as we do with SAT prep, so I’m afraid we can’t be of much help in terms of your chances of getting into Penn or Brown. Remember that college admissions depend on many factors in addition to test scores. With that in mind, I’d recommend checking out the profiles for Penn and Brown on CollegeBoard to see how you compare to students who were admitted to these schools:

*
*

Additionally, you may want to the schools directly to see if they can offer any insight, or check out the university websites to see if they have any info!

I hope this helps, at least a little! Good luck on the application process 🙂

I am an international student and I keep getting b\n 720-760 on math section but I keep struggling on the English section. I have to score above 1500 and so I would appreciate it if you tell me everything I can do to improve on the English section.

My daughter is 15 (but a Junior in HS). She just took the PSAT and received her score back. 980 total with 480 Reading and 500 on Math. She is anticipating an athletic scholarship and academic also. I realize this needs to be higher, but where is she really?

In theory, of course, you can get your SAT equivalent by adding 80 to your PSAT score. This would put your daughter at a 1060 on the SAT. In reality, it’s very hard to tell exactly where your daughter is at on the SAT until she takes the SAT itself. I’ve found that a lot of students with so-so PSAT scores go on to score a good deal higher on the SAT. This is because taking the PSAT helps build students advance their SAT skills.

I would definitely encourage your daughter to study for the SAT with confidence, and to not assume that her PSAT score means she’ll only get a 1060 on the SAT. With additional prep and with the things she learned from sitting for the PSAT, she has a good chance of getting over 1100 on the SAT– maybe well over 1100. (She will also of course want to try and retake the PSAT as soon as possible in her Junior year, if she is planning to try out for the National Merit Scholarship.)

Based on your test scores, you are within the test score range for both programs; however, you are in the upper quartile for Purdue and lower quartile for Georgia Tech. As such, you have much better chance at Purdue. Now, remember that your test scores and grades are just a piece of your full application. Strong essays, recommendations, and extracurriculars play a large role in your application as well.

So, it’s hard to say what your chances are without seeing your full application. The important part will be to strengthen your application as much as possible. Focus on the area of your application that you feel is the weakest. This will best improve your chances at both programs! Good luck and you’ve got this! 😀

sir
my son scored 1520/1600 in sat and maths level II 800/800 but his application is deferred from Wharton school of business .they are saying will tell in march end .What are his chances of admission please reply

First of all, congrats to your son for the great scores! Now, it’s hard to say what his chances to get off the deferred list is because it varies year-by-year and based on a number of variables decided by the program. The best thing you and your son can do is continue to show interest and strengthening his overall candidacy (e.g., keep up with his studies and extracurriculars). He is a strong candidate, so you should hope for the best, but also keep your options open. Good luck to you and your son! 😀

Hey!
I just scored 1220. I am not thinking of applying to ivy league but still is my score good enough for universities? I am thinking of studying Information Technology.Can I still apply for scholarship?Any suggestion for universities?

First of all, congratulations on taking the SAT! It is a difficult test and you got a solid score 🙂 This score is above average, but the range of scores really depends on the university! This score is definitely ‘good enough’ (as you put it) for universities, and you will just have to do some research to find schools that are within this ‘range.’ And remember: the SAT isn’t everything! It’s just one part of the application, and the schools take many other factors into consideration as well! Our expertise is in test prep, not admissions advice, so it’s hard for me to say what specific university you should apply for, but you can start your research here: 😀

Our expertise is in test prep, not admissions advice, so I’m afraid I don’t have a good answer for you! I recommend that you check out the for some ideas of what schools you can apply to, and do some research on the school website to see if it is a good fit for you! Best of luck 🙂

I got a 1410 on the new SAT. On math I got a 740 and on reading/writing I got a 670. Also, on the essay I got a 21/24. I really want to go to Columbia, NYU, or Stanford and I don’t know if my scores are good enough or not.
Thanks.

Good job on your SAT! Before I answer your question, I do want to mention that your test scores are only one part of your full application, and that the admissions office will look at your total package when considering your candidacy. Now, if we focus primarily on your test scores alone, you first want to be within the 25-75% percentile scores for your respective programs. Even better would be to be at the median or higher end of this spectrum.

Based on your current score, NYU would be a good match as you’re in the median area. However, given that your score is below the 25% range for Columbia and Stanford, these programs would be a reach. If you like to improve your candidacy, I would recommend that you study for a retake to improve your score. That being said, again, your scores are only one piece. If your other pieces are exceptionally strong, you may still have a chance. However, retaking would be the more advisable route to increase your chances. Good luck! 😀

He applied to UC schools, private schools, and Cal State schools. He is mostly interested in attending either USC, or UC San Diego. Is his score in line with admission to the schools he is interested in attending?

Your godson’s score, combined with his GPA, is a little on the low end for UC San Diego. The SAT midrange for San Diego is 1270 to 1480 and they tend to accept students with a GPA of about 4.0. USC looks for 1350 to 1620 on the SAT for the most part. USC also tends to accept students with an average GPA of around 4.0. However, USC looks more closely at class rank than at GPA. So if your godsons 2.88 GPA puts him in the top 10% of his class, his GPA could be attractive to USC. (But his SAT score would still be low for that school.)

Among the California public universities, UC Santa Cruz seems promising. Their SAT range is 1080-1340. Still, the average GPA of admitted students is 3.76.

This doesn’t mean your godson shouldn’t try for schools like USC or UC San Diego. Very few California universities have absolute rules or strict cutoffs. If other aspects of his application are strong, your godson easily could get accepted at one of his target schools, even with his GPA and his current SAT score.

As a sophomore, I got a 1420 on the new SAT (740 math/680 reading&writing). I currently have a 4.375 weighted GPA and 4.0 unweighted (never made lower than a 98 in any class). I am also taking my first AP class this year and will be taking a minimum of 2 per year as I finish high school.

What schools should I be looking at for college and how much do you think I can realistically grow my SAT score? If you could cater it more toward math and business schools that would be awesome.

First of all, WOW! You are obviously a hard-working and committed student, and I can tell that you will go far 🙂

Our expertise is in test prep, not college admissions, so I’m afraid I don’t have a good answer to the question about which colleges you should look at. I can say that with your current credentials you will be extremely competitive for most top schools, and besides that I think you should start doing some research on programs and schools to find your dream school!

You are already pretty close to the range for most of these Ivy-level schools, and I think that if you study you can expect a pretty decent increase when you prepare for the SAT again. I recommend that you make sure to spend time studying and practicing as much as possible. You can see our study schedules for some ideas on what you’ll have to do to increase your score. With time and dedication, you should be able to top the 1500 mark at least! When you’re ready to start studying, come on back and –I think our comprehensive program and authentic practice questions can really help you to reach your goals:D

You need to ruthlessly analyze your performance on practice materials and build a catalog of your errors. This can help you pinpoint the areas that need the most study to boost your score. A 100 point increase is big, but you can do it if you build a game plan based on your own achievement. 🙂

I think it is a great start! Remember, the SAT aims to capture your abilities by the end of 11th or 12th grade, so you will continue building on your knowledge and should see increase in SAT score as you do, too. 🙂

First, it’s important to remember that your SAT score is only one component of your application. Your essays, GPA, extra curricular activities, and letters of rec also play an important part when applying to college. With that in mind, to be a competitive applicant for moderately selective schools, your scores should be in at least the 75 percentile, about 1220/1600. For a more concrete range, I recommend exploring different universities on , where you can compare schools and take a look at average test scores, as well as other admission requirements. 🙂

First of all, great job on your first SAT! And yes, if you work to continue improving your SAT scores, it will help strengthen your candidacy at Ivy universities. However, please also note that your application is made up of more than just test scores and GPA. Your essays, recommendation, and extracurriculars will also play a role. So, continue to work on all pieces of your application to improve your chances. Good luck! 🙂

Ouch! That’s a pretty low score. It would be difficult to get a scholarship with only a 770 on the New SAT. You may still be able to get scholarships that aren’t connected to SAT scores. (These are usually needs-based scholarships.)

What I really recommend though, is retaking the exam. I’m sure you can raise your score with additional study. As you prep for a retake, you may want to focus on test strategies (multiple choice elimination, pacing, skimming, scanning, mental math, etc…). Often when test-takers score low, it’s because they struggled with exam strategy rather than content knowledge.

Based just on her new SAT score, I’d say your daughter has a shot at MIT, Stanford, or Chicago. She is just at the cutoff for University of Chicago though. Their bottom score in their middle 50% is 1500. (Search “Chicago” in the chart in this article to see this.)

Her SAT Subject test scores aren’t bad. However, the Subject tests may or may not increase her chances. Every school and department has different policies on SAT Subject tests. So you may want to check with your daughter’s prospective schools to see what difference her Math and Physics scores make.

Still, she has a very good chance at those top three school choices either way. Nice work on her part!

Hey!
Thanks for giving some valuable information regarding SAT
may I know where could i find the best sample papers for SAT prep? I will be preparing for this year and will be writing my exam in 2018. I would also like to receive suggestions on the same.
Thanks and regards,
Natasha.

If you’re looking for some suggestions for the best SAT books for your prep, I would recommend that you check out this blog post. If you’re looking more for content about the SAT writing, you can also check out our High School Blog for plenty of content on the SAT and ACT essay sections. I hope this help! 😀

Hi,
My score for the new SAT was 1570 (800 Maths/770 Language). Yet for some reason I went full irrelevant during the essay so I got a rather mediocre 4/5/4. I hope to get into the MIT, yet with such essay score would it be too precarious for me? Is it possible to re-sit for just the essay? I also received my A Level result a few weeks ago, which was AAAA/B (General Paper). Would that help boost my chance?

Now, I do understand that your writing score is a bit lower than you would have hoped. Ideally, it would be better if it were slightly higher. However, it’s hard to say exactly how your essay score will impact your acceptance to MIT given that there are a number of variables each school takes into account. Remember your scores are only one piece of your application. That being said, given the new nature of this optional essay, a number of programs are not focusing as heavily on this section, but at the same time, some of the top programs still are. I would recommend that you your target school and see how much emphasis they place on this section.

In addition, I think it’s great that you’ll have other points in your application to show that your writing ability may not have been accurately represented in the SAT. Although you cannot resit for just the essay, it is ultimately your decision as to whether you want to sit for the retake. If it offers you a peace of mind and you can replicate your performance on the rest of the exam, then perhaps a retake isn’t a bad option. However, if you feel that your score may decrease and your writing score may even stay the same, then I would focus on other venues to strengthen your application and present your strong writing skills. I hope this helps a little. Best of luck! 😀

If you’re looking to take the SAT, check out this video blog post that explains SAT prep in a nutshell. It covers the most important stuff. In addition, you can try Clemmonsdogpark to see if it can help you in your preparation. If you want to get a better sense of what we have to offer, I would suggest signing up for . This will allow you to see how the site works and try out a selection of lesson videos and practice questions. You should also know that if you buy a full membership, you’re protected by our 7-day money-back guarantee— us within a week of your purchase and we’ll give you a full refund for any reason. Good luck! 🙂

Hey!
I just got my SAT scores back, 1010. I know that this won’t be accepted by any colleges, but I’m only a Junior in high school, so I have time to bring that up.
What I was wondering was, how many times would you recommend taking the SAT’s and good (and cheap) ways to study.
Thanks!

It’s hard to say exactly how many times we would recommend to take the SAT as it’s dependent on the student as well. However, I will say that 2-3 times are very typical. With regard to a good and affordable way to study, I would definitely recommend Clemmonsdogpark! But, there is only one way to find out if it meets your needs. If you want to get a better sense of what we have to offer, I would suggest signing up for . This will allow you to see how the site works and try out a selection of lesson videos and practice questions. You should also know that if you buy a full membership, you’re protected by our 7-day money-back guarantee— us within a week of your purchase and we’ll give you a full refund for any reason. Best of luck! 🙂

Hi,
I got a 1420 on my SAT, placing me slightly above
the average SAT mark in UMD’s engineering program (1415).
My GPA is also exactly the average for the program. Should I
retake my SAT test in June, and try to meet the 75th percentile
mark (1470) ?

First, I will note by saying that the admission committee looks at a number of pieces when evaluating your application. And, your application is as strong as its weakest piece. I would recommend that you place more emphasis on the areas of application which you feel weakest on. If it happens to be your SAT, then I say work hard, and definitely give it a go! If you find that spending more time on your essays will be a more effective use of your time, then do that! See what area you feel that you can strengthen the most, and go for it! I hope this helps a little! Best of luck! 😀

Hi. Last year I took an SAT and got a score of 1070 – 610
Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and a 460 in Math.
I’ve heard a lot of opinions but would like a professional one.
Is a score of 1070 on the SAT a good or bad score?
Should I try to raise this score, or will it be acceptable in most
colleges? I’m pretty sure my GPA WAS AROUND A 3.50 to a 3.70 or a 3.80.
Thanks for your time.

Even with a higher GPA, such as 3.8, a 1070 is on the low side. You have a shot at mid-tier schools and lower-ranking schools. But getting into a top university with a 1070 could be hard. I would definitely recommend retaking the SAT if you can. A higher SAT score will especially valuable if you combine it with a good GPA.

Hi
My GPA is around 2.95 and scored a 1230 on the SAT. I also took the SAT with the essay this May. I struggled freshman year but have improved each year since. Will colleges take notice of my improvement over the past few years and my fairly good SAT scores when they are evaluating my application?

It’s hard to say as every school is different; however, in general, the admissions committee will review your whole application and take note of improvements. I would definitely recommend that you highlight your improvements and the reasoning for your earlier struggles. As you continue with your application, take note that you are as strong as your weakest point. So, make sure that you can identify your weaknesses, and be able to point to other places in your application to show that those weaknesses are not representative of you as an applicant. Best of luck Joe! 🙂

Hello. I want to know if a 1000 is a bad score. I took the SAT with Essay on April 11th (SAT School Day) at my local high school as the SAT is a graduation requirement.
I’ve never really experienced with any of the standardized tests, so I ended up getting this score.
So, is a 1000 bad on the SAT?

1000 is a little on the low side for getting into a top school. However, it’s not bad per se if you’re aiming for a smaller, mid-tier public university. I’d still recommend retaking the SAT if you have time. If you can boost your score by 50-100 points, your prospects at higher-ranking schools open up a good deal.

My daughter took PSAT in school as a sophomore in October of 2016. She got 580 for reading and 540 for math. I know those are not the best, but how are they? We were not planning for Ivy League for different reasons though… We just want a good solid college.

That SAT score really isn’t half bad! It’ll place your daughter in the average or above-average range for most solid mid-tier colleges, and gives her a shot at some higher-ranking schools as well. Assuming the rest of her application is just as strong, of course. 🙂

Both of those numbers are a little on the low side. You can definitely get into mid-tier universities, but there are relatively few scholarships you can get, just on the basis of your SAT and GPA alone. Having said that, scholarship foundations look at many different factors. Your SAT+your GPA+ other things (extracurriculars, professional accomplishments, demographics, etc) may land you scholarships. The SAT website actually has you may find useful. 🙂

Those are some nice scores, so congratulations. 🙂 Most universities only care about your highest SAT score, so unless you’re specifically asked for all SAT scores, just submit your 1310. Your score is in the acceptable range for the four universities you mentioned, and will also be acceptable to many other comparable schools.

I received a 1320 on my SAT back in 2011.
I always thought it was bad because I heard the average SAT score in 2011 was 1500.
Now I’m reading that 1320 isn’t bad, but when I research I still see that the average in 2011 was 1500.
Could you please tell me what’s true?

SAT scores are only valid for 5 years, so this 2011 score is not critically important. If you’re interested in seeing how your score compares, you can check out . If you know how your score of 1320 broke apart, you can assess yourself on that scale. 🙂

i’m a freshman this year and want to be prepared for the sat in a practice test i took i got a 1140 a 580 math and a 560 reading. is this a good spot to be at for a freshman? what advice would you give so i can improve my score in the next two years?

The SAT is intended to be a measure for students finished with high school, so this is a good place to be right now in your position. You need to work equally on math and reading, but luckily this should happen throughout your high school career. 🙂 If you want to continue working toward SAT greatness, you can continue to use official resources to study on the side as you continue.

I’m trying to get into college at the end of my sophomore year. In the junior year I’m taking only AP Calculus. I scored 99% on ny PSAT (13 on one test and 14 on the rest) in April of my sophomore year. What will be my chances of getting into college?

If you are in the 99th percentile on standardized tests and doing advanced classes, you’re in a great position! Remember that admissions is more than GPA and test scores, though, and be sure to devote proper time to your admission essays, letters of recommendation, etc. It sounds to me like you’re on track to be admitted to some great schools, though. 🙂

Hey I received an SAT score of 1510. 800 math and 710 reading. While my math and wr
iting are great.. I got a critical reading score
of 32. I am an Indian student. Does that mean
I’ll need to take the TOEFL?

The TOEFL requirement doesn’t usually have to do with the SAT. It is often a condition of visa approval and/or proving language ability if you were educated in a language other than English. The SAT, in contrast, is an academic readiness exam. So you will need to learn your chosen university’s requirements to be sure about TOEFL needs.

Your score looks strong, but again, it depends very much on what you are trying to do, so I recommend researching entry requirements at your dream schools to determine what is a good score in your case. 🙂

First of all, congrats on taking the SAT and getting such a stellar score! It’s not easy to score in the 94th percentile, so you should be congratulating yourself 🙂 Unfortunately, however, I can’t give you a great answer to that question–our expertise is in test prep, not admissions advice. In any case, this is something that you will want to research on your own so that you can get a sense of the school’s requirements and ‘personality.’ I recommend that you start with general internet searches (where you can find ) and then do further research into the individual schools. Remember as well that, on average, students improve their score by 50 points from 11th to 12th grade, which means that you have a good shot at improving your score even more if you take the SAT again next year 🙂 Best of luck!

First, congratulations on a stellar SAT score! Wow! Second, our expertise is in test prep, not admissions advice, so I can’t answer your question with 100% certainty. This score is definitely within the range for the Ivy League and top-tier schools that we list here, but admissions to top schools requires more than just a good SAT score. You will need to be sure to craft a strong application to go along with that great SAT score 🙂 Good luck!

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